Cycles of innovation in managing academic workloads

Barrett, LC; Barrett, PS

Abstract

Complexity and demands within higher education are seen to be rising and one
response to this has been a movement towards the adoption of more formal
approaches to workload management. The objectives of these systems revolve
around improving equity in allocations and achieving a more efficient and
transparent use of resources.This article draws from the work of a partnership
of 12 diverse universities to illustrate, through case studies, a school-driven and
a centrally led development for managing workloads. This activity is then
explored through the concept of convergent and divergent activity occurring
progressively at different organisational levels, and around ideas about the
dynamic relationship between continuity and change that this will involve.We
suggest that although the initial focus of activity may seem important, ultimately
viable systems involve a negotiated balance between central and local
requirements.

Citation

Barrett, L., & Barrett, P. (2010). Cycles of innovation in managing academic workloads. Higher Education Quarterly, 64(2), 183-199. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2009.00436.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2010
• Deposit Date: Feb 2, 2012
• Journal: Higher Education Quarterly
• Print ISSN: 0951-5224
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 64
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 183-199
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2009.00436.x
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2273.2009.00436.x